1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to field of fluid holding and transportation containers. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an improved fluid tank drain pipe support/guide structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are a variety of well known designs for fluid holding and transportation tanks. In common railroad fluid transportation tank cars, it is well known to utilize a drain pipe for transferring fluid from the tank once the tank has reached its intended destination. In order to accomplish the removal of fluid from the tank car, a drain pipe is typically inserted into an opening in a top portion of the fluid filled tank. Conventional designs for railroad tank cars and other fluid containers usually include a lower trough or other depressed area beneath this opening that is designed to allow the fluid in the tank to accumulate in this lower region in order to ensure more complete drainage of the tank.
In conventional railroad tank cars, the fluid drain pipe is inserted through an opening in the top of the tank car into this lower trough or depression in the bottom of the tank car in order to ensure that the fluid may be almost completely removed from the tank. A fluid pump or other fluid flow generating mechanism is then used to draw fluid out of the tank through the drain pipe.
While this procedure in most instances poses no problems, it has been recognized that use of a drain pipe in this manner can result in a potentially catastrophic event should the fluid in the tank be a corrosive fluid such as an acid or the like. Fluid tanks and tank cars that are used in the transportation of a corrosive fluid such as acids and the like typically employ an inert liner that is usually formed of a rubber material. The rubber liner prevents the corrosive fluid from contacting and damaging the side walls of the fluid tank which are usually comprised of a metal such as steel. It is well known that the material of the tank side walls will react with certain corrosive fluids and acids which will ultimately corrode a leak path in the side of the tank if contact with the corrosive fluids is allowed to occur. It is nevertheless necessary that the tank cars be used for the transportation of both acids and other corrosive fluids.
One problem which can arise in these conventional tank cars is that the liner may wear or otherwise rupture leading to a leak of fluid in the tank into the space between the liner and the inner surface of the metal tank. Should this occur, it is often difficult to detect the presence of the fluid between the liner and the side wall of the tank. The first sign of such an occurrence may be when the corrosive fluid or acid in the tank corrodes a leak path through the side wall of the tank and the fluid leaks out onto the ground. Because the initial rupture is often undetected, the resulting tank shell failure can occur at any location with substantial adverse consequences. These consequences include the spillage of hazardous and/or toxic materials and may require evacuation of any individuals located near the spill site. It is obviously highly undesirable to have such an occurrence.
It has been discovered that the conventional approach to draining fluid tank cars set forth above can result in a rupture of the protective liner that is used in the transportation of corrosive fluids or acids. This occurs when the drain pipe is inserted too far into the tank resulting in contact between the drain pipe and liner. The contact is often sufficient to rupture the internal tank liner. This is compounded by the fact that the actual rupture of the inert liner may not be noticed for some period of time. As a result, there may be potentially dangerously results including damage or destruction of the tank and damage to the surrounding area at the time of the spill.
Previously, there has been no known structure for preventing these types of problems from occurring. The present inventor has overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and identified a new fluid tank drain support/guide which prevents rupture of the internal tank liner that is used in the transportation of corrosive fluids and acids.
One object of the present invention is to provide an improved drain pipe support/guide structure that prevents the insertion of a drain pipe into a fluid tank from damaging the interior inert tank side wall protective liner. Another object of the present invention is to provide a drain pipe support/guide that will allow fluid to freely flow from the fluid filled tank through the drain pipe support/guide. Another object of the present invention is to provide a drain pipe support/guide that will guide the drain pipe while it is being inserted into the fluid tank to prevent contact with the interior protective liner of the tank. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following Summary and Detailed Description of the Presently Preferred embodiments.